Oysters and wine have do have something in common (other than the fact that they go great together!): Like the term ‘terroir’ is used to describe the environmental characteristics that shape the taste of the wine (soil type, sunlight exposure, growing temperatures), the term ‘merrior’ describes the waters impact (salinity, growing temperatures, location) on the flavor of the oysters. ‘Mer’ means “sea” in French.

Wine is often described using various aromas and flavors, the same goes for oysters. Their flavors can be described as briny, buttery, sweet, metallic and mild, or containing characteristics that are similar to melon, cucumber or mushroom. Certain oyster restaurants (often known as ‘oyster bars’) serve oyster tasting platters with different types of oysters so that you can try them all…. Just like a wine tasting!